Corn Harvester Header

ABSTRACT

This invention reveals a corn harvester header comprising: multiple harvesting units placed adjacently among them, where each of said harvesting units has a central slot through where a maize plant is processed to separate the ears from the stalks; multiple crop divisors, each placed between two adjacent harvesting units; and multiple frontal devices, each place in front of and between two adjacent harvesting units; where each one of said multiple frontal devices comprise: a pair of guiding elements, where the guiding element is selected from a group of: chain or belt; two or more wheels; and a support; where the guiding element is placed around said two or more wheels; where one of the two or more wheels drives the spin of the guiding element, where the tangential speed of the guiding element is configured according to the distance between the plants in the crop; and where an opening greater that the harvesting slot is created.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the industry of agricultural machinery, and more particularly to gathering headers or platforms for corn harvester machines, and particularly to chain-driven gathering or lifting assemblies or units used on corn pontoons used for dragging or conveying harvested ears towards typical processing devices which are located next to the gathering header, the invention being particularly related to a novel assembly which allows harvesting corn which has been sown according to the double row (or “Twin Rows” as it is known in English) configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Corn harvester machines are world-wide known and they mainly comprise a gathering platform or header exhibiting a plurality of snouts intended to face the plants which are to be harvested while the machine goes through the crop. Between the snouts there are passages or channels defined, into which the plants to be harvested enter; to this effect, the snouts are spaced-apart at a distance from each other in accordance with the gap between the crop rows so that as the machine goes through the crop, the plants come to face directly each of the passages and are able to get into them. As the plant gets into the respective passage, the stalk is pulled downwards under the header through the opening between the snouts such that the ear falls over the corresponding parts of the gathering header.

Some parts of the harvested plant, more particularly the ears, are dragged or conveyed by means of lifting chains facing each other which are mounted on longitudinal forward-extending arms from a chain carrier chassis. The chains are in turn provided with projections or, as they are usually called in the art of farming, spoons or buckets. In other words, a chain will be rotationally mounted on respective gears or cogwheels on a chassis, and two adjacent chains will form a gathering or lifting assembly. As the two chains which are mounted on the same chassis define said passage or channel for the entry of the plants, each snout which is located over these chassis will cover half of the chassis, or lifting assembly, and the other half of the adjacent chassis, so that two adjacent snouts will leave a space between them so as to conform, together with the chassis arms and the respective chains, said passage or channel for the entry of the plants. As the chains have their conveying projections, or spoons or buckets, extending radially outwards, and as both chains will be arranged in such a way that when the projections are rotated they come to face each other in an associated relationship to move one next to the other, both associated projections or spoons will convey the ear over the stripper plates towards a tray exhibiting an endless conveyor which in turn will convey it to the feeder of the machine, and then to the harvester mechanisms in charge of processing the ears, threshing them, cleaning the grains, etc.

As explained above, the snouts and the lifting assemblies are combined with each other in order to define the passages for the entry of the plants, and the distance between these passages will be determined by the distance between the sown rows, i.e. the distance between the plants at harvest time. The distances between rows may vary for many reasons, but they are generally standardized distances, for example 525 mm and 700 mm. However, some countries are increasingly applying the modality of seeding crops along two rows very closed together, for example at a distance of 177.8 mm so that a double row is created, and this double row is separated from another double row of the same type on the scale of about 965.2 mm for example. In other words, the distance between rows is 965.2 mm, but each row has two plants separated at 177.8 mm from each other. This double row or “Twin rows” (as worldwide known in English) configuration is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 which will be referenced herein below.

This double row modality for seeding and harvesting becomes troublesome on the basis that corn headers are not planned for such way of harvesting, as the distances between the snouts or lifting assemblies are usually not sufficient to receive the frontal entry of the plants arranged in that way. The easiest would be to think this drawback could be solved by simply increasing the separation between the lifting assemblies so as to create a passage as wide as necessary for the smooth entry of the double row of plants; however, this is not possible because an excessive width would result in the inefficient channelization and conveying of the plant and the loss of ears through said open channel.

In view of the foregoing, a new arrangement of the corn lifting or gathering assemblies would be desirable, whereby the entry of a double row of plants would be facilitated, without loss of efficiency when the lifting assemblies carry out the handling of the crops and the gathering.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus an object of the present invention is to provide a novel lifting assembly for corn harvester headers, wherein the lifting assemblies are formed in such a way that the distance between them can be maintained so as to keep an appropriate width of the plant conveying or lifting passage or channel, but providing a frontal conformation that defines a mouth-like entrance or feeder capable of guiding or receiving the entry of a double row of plants which have been sown according to this arrangement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lifting assembly for corn harvester headers, comprising a chassis having two parallel arms, each of these having a lifting chain mounted thereon, and the arms and the chains being separated from each other so as to conform a passage or channel that receives and conveys the harvested plant towards the ear gathering mechanisms, each arm having a front portion and a front cogwheel away from the front portion and the front cogwheel of the adjacent arm on the chassis in order to form an entrance for a double row of plants.

Even a further object of the present invention is to provide a lifting assembly for a corn harvester header, wherein a corn header comprises a plurality of lifting assemblies, one next to the other, each assembly having a chassis with a pair of lifting chains mounted thereon comprised of a plurality of bonds among which there are, at an appropriate distance from each other, conveying bonds for the conveyance of the harvested crop towards a collector and hopper set of the harvester, the chains being arranged adjacently to each other, such that they form a channel in the middle for conveying said crop towards said collector and hopper set of the harvester, each chain being rotationally mounted around cogwheels at least one of which is the driving one, wherein said chassis exhibits two parallel arms, each one of them having each of said lifting chains mounted thereon, each arm having a front portion which faces said crops during harvest, and said front portions are tilted outwards, progressively farther away from each other, so as to form a wider opening than the width of said conveying channel, said chains having a parallel length where the chains are extended in parallel relation one to the other along said conveying channel and a tilted length where the chains are tilted, progressively farther away from each other, on said front portions of the chassis arms, each of said arms having a deflecting support between said parallel length and said tilted length of the chains

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the sake of better clarity and understanding of the object of the present invention, the invention has been represented in one of the preferred embodiments by way of example and illustrated in several figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a transparent partially cutaway plant view of four snouts on a gathering header of a corn harvester, in which conventional lifting assemblies and chains can be seen;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a conventional lifting assembly;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of two conventional adjacent lifting assemblies, while operating in the harvest of two conventional, i.e. simple, corn plant rows;

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of two conventional adjacent lifting assemblies, while operating in the harvest of two double rows of corn plants; and

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of two adjacent lifting assemblies according to the present invention, while operating in the harvest of two double rows of corn plants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, they show a corn gathering header 1 having a plurality of front snouts, only five of which are illustrated by way of example with reference numeral 2. Between snouts 2 there are defined respective passages or channels 3 into which crops enter, with stalks shown in a cutaway view with reference numeral 4. Once the plant gets into the respective passage 3, it is pulled down under the header with stripping of the ears, and after these have been removed, said ears are carried by means of the conveying projections or spoons 5 on the conveying chains. As shown in FIG. 2, the chains consist of a plurality of conventional bonds 6 between which conveying bonds or spoons 5 are inserted with the suitable space from one to the next. As shown in FIG. 1, adjacent chains of adjacent snouts rotate in the opposite direction, as indicated by arrows in this figure, so that spoons 5 thereof come face to face and associate along the passage 3 for conveying the ears. More specifically, chains 6 between which passage 3 is formed are part of a lifting assembly located on a mounting chassis, as will be described below. It also should be noted that spoons 5 have been illustrated as they are advancing towards the inside of passage 3, rearwards, with their convex curves directed to the front of the machine; however, this can vary and it will be illustrated inversely in FIGS. 2 to 5, that is to say that spoons 5 will travel through passage 3, with their convex sides directed rearwards in order to support these convex sides against the crop stalk.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 showing a conventional lifting assembly, chains 6 are mounted on a chassis 7. More particularly, chassis 7 has two parallel arms 8, each of said two parallel arms has each of said lifting chains 6 mounted thereon, said lifting chains 6 passing around a pair of rear and front cogwheels or gears 9 and 10, at least one of which, on each arm 8, can drive the corresponding chain. FIG. 3 shows a plan view of two adjacent lifting assemblies at harvesting operation, where crop stalks 4 can be seen aligned along their seeding rows, at rows separated by a distance “d” that can be, according to standard values, for example, 525 mm or 700 mm; other distances are usually also employed though. As can be seen, on each arm 8 there is mounted a lifting chain 6 and, for a better understanding of the operation, the arms of the two adjacent lifting assemblies have been indicated with reference numerals 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, and 8 d, so that a passage or channel 3 is defined between arms 8 a and 8 b for the passing of crops 4, and so on between arms 8 c and 8 d. Passages 3 are wide enough to allow easy entry of a crop row 4 and this is well demonstrated in known harvesting machines.

However, if the same machine were to be used for harvesting corn plants seeded after the double row configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the width between plants in the same row would not allow it. Indeed, the rows are now separated by a distance “d1”, of about 965.2 mm, but each row has two plants 4 a and 4 b, on each side of a longitudinal geometrical axis X at passage 3, separated by a distance of 177.8 mm. The latter measures are not usually strict values and can be modified according to field, zone, and weather variables, or simply in response to the farmer's wishes. In FIG. 4, two assemblies of lifting chains can be seen operating on a corn field in accordance with the “Twin Rows” configuration. Here it can be clearly seen that the entry of the crops is more complicated, and that they come to stand in complete frontal opposition to the front gears 10 on the chains. This can provoke the hitting of the gear against the crop, which can result in ear losses. The entry of crops 4 a and 4 b into a passage 3 as defined between two arms 8 a and 8 b, is hindered, as now two crops have to get almost simultaneously into the same space where only one crop used to enter before.

Two lifting assemblies according to the present invention are shown in FIG. 5, in the moment of operating on the harvest of corn which was seeded applying the double row configuration, which is the same configuration illustrated in FIG. 4. In the lifting assembly of the invention, each arm 8 a and 8 b, which have kept the same reference numerals as in the other Figures in order to facilitate the comparison with the prior art, comprise a front portion 11 a and 11 b opposite said crops 4 a and 4 b during harvest, and said front portions 11 a and 11 b are tilted outwards, progressively farther apart from each other, so as to form an opening 12 which is wider than said conveying channel 3. According to this new configuration, chains 6 have a parallel length 13, wherein chains are extended parallel to each other along said conveying channel 3, and a tilted length 14, wherein the chains are tilted, progressively farther apart from each other, on said front portions 11 of arms 8 on chassis 6. To further facilitate the entry of the crops, said front portions 11 of arms 8 present curved edges 15 defining said opening to be wider than the conveying channel.

In order to complete the novel conformation of the lifting assembly feeder, the front cogwheels comprise cogwheels or gears 16 a and 16 b arranged on their respective front ends of the corresponding front portion 11 of arm 8. Each front wheel or gear 16 is mounted on a point which is shifted with respect to a longitudinal geometrical axis X of the passage or conveying channel 3 and progressively farther away therefrom, so as to form said opening or mouth-like entrance with the lifting chain. Finally, between said parallel length 13 and said tilted length 14 of the chains, there is located a deflecting support which may be comprised of any piece serving as a support to the chain so as to allow its rotational mounting. Preferably, said supporting piece comprises a free-rotating cogwheel or gear 17 on each arm 8, and so two gears have been identified with reference numerals 17 a and 17 b.

From the foregoing description it will be easy to note that the invention provides a novel lifting assembly for corn harvesters, capable of harvesting such plants as grown according to the double row configuration, without causing damage or production losses. 

The nature of the present invention having been specially described and determined, as well as the form to put it into practice, we claim the exclusive property right on the following:
 1. Lifting assembly for a corn harvester header, wherein a corn header comprises a plurality of lifting assemblies, one next to the other, each assembly having a chassis with a pair of lifting chains mounted thereon, which are composed of a plurality of bonds between which there are, at a proper distance from each other, conveying bonds for the conveyance of the harvested crop towards a collector and hopper set of the harvester, the chains being arranged adjacently to each other, such that they form in the middle a channel for conveying said crop towards said collector and hopper set of the harvester, each chain being rotationally mounted around cogwheels at least one of which is the driving one, and the lifting assembly being characterized in that: said chassis has two parallel arms, wherein each one of them has each of said lifting chains mounted thereon, each arm having a front portion which faces said crops during harvest and said front portions are tilted outwards, progressively farther away from each other, so as to form a wider opening than said conveying channel, said chains having a parallel length where the chains are extended in parallel relation one to the other along said conveying channel and a tilted length where the chains are tilted, progressively farther away from each other, on said front portions of the chassis arms, each of said arms having a deflecting support between said parallel length and said tilted length of the chains.
 2. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said cogwheels comprise a rear cogwheel and a front cogwheel for each chain, the front cogwheel being arranged on a front end of said front portion of the corresponding arm.
 3. An assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that said front cogwheel is mounted on a point shifted with regard to a longitudinal geometrical axis of the passage or conveying channel and progressively farther away therefrom.
 4. An assembly according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that said deflecting support is a free cogwheel.
 5. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said front portions of the arms have curved edges defining said opening to be wider than the conveying channel. 